October 7 · Personal story
Naveh Shoham
Abducted
October 7, 2023
Abduction location
Kibbutz Be’eri, where his family was visiting his maternal grandparents for Sukkot.
Current outcome
Released alive · November 25, 2023
Released with his mother Adi, sister Yahel and grandmother Shoshan.
01
Life before October 7
Naveh was eight and lived in Ma’ale Tzvia with his parents, Adi and Tal, and younger sister Yahel. During the family’s Sukkot visit to Be’eri, he was with his maternal grandparents, Shoshan and Avshal, and relatives from the extended family. His aunt Shaked described him as “a bright, open-hearted boy that makes friends in an instant.” The two children were with their grandparents when the attack began.
02
Abduction
As the captors led Naveh away, Adi saw him about 10 meters ahead, his back toward her. He could not see her, and she said he looked terrified. She ran to him and pulled him toward her, while the captor tried to pull him back. In the family safe room earlier that morning, Naveh had asked his mother whether they were going to die. Adi told him she hoped they would not, but she did not know; she did not want him to hear a lie from her.
03
Captivity
Naveh was eight during the journey from Be’eri to Gaza. Aviv Havron’s Ynet family account describes Naveh seeing dead neighbors and smoke above burning homes on the way from Be’eri to Gaza. In the places where the family was held, Naveh saw armed guards with loaded rifles. Naveh was held with Adi, Yahel and Shoshan for 50 days, apart from Tal. While Naveh was still captive, Israel’s soccer captain Eli Dasa displayed his boot at a press conference. It had survived the explosion that destroyed the Be’eri home where the family had been staying.
04
Return
Naveh returned on November 25, 2023, with Adi, Yahel and Shoshan after 50 days; Tal remained captive. When Tal returned on February 22, 2025, after 505 days, Naveh greeted him with the words, “Finally, it’s the four of us again.”
05
Aftermath
After returning, Naveh drew angry pictures of captors and carried toy guns for a time. In March 2025, Ynet described him as nearly ten and reported that he played soccer and water polo, had learned SUP surfing and rode his bicycle often. He supported Hapoel Be’er Sheva in memory of his grandfather Avshal.